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Reviews of
Luxury Cars
Impressions and critiques of
luxury cars. Recommended vehicles are printed in
blue in the list of models, any
model shown in bold blue
was judged to be the best vehicle in this class.
(Model names printed with the reviews will not be colored
whether a vehicle is recommended or not.)
See all Top Picks and Recommended
models by class.
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Acura RL
Available As: Luxury sedan
Base
Price Range (MSRP): $46,280-$53,700
Pros:
Price, interior quality, acceleration, AWD.
Cons:
Trunk space, no V8 option.
Overall: The RL offers only adequacy by the
high standards of its class, which equates to
excellence by other standards, and costs less
than the competition.
Rating:
7/10
Recommended: YES
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Characteristic: |
Compared to Luxury Cars |
Compared to All Vehicles |
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Seat
Comfort |
7/10 |
7/10 |
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Luxury |
7/10 |
9/10 |
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Practicality |
5/10 |
6/10 |
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Performance |
7/10 |
8/10 |
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Fuel
Economy |
6/10 |
5/10 |
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Safety |
9/10 |
9/10 |
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Price |
8/10 |
3/10 |
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Calling
the RL a mediocre car would not be inaccurate.
For while it is comfortable, quiet, agile, and
powerful, it does not stand out among its peers
in the luxury sedan class. But to dismiss it
because of its relative mediocrity would be
wrong. For it is still comfortable, quiet,
agile, and powerful, and costs quite a bit less
than competitors that are even more so. (The
sticker prices are already competitive, and the
car is often sold deeply discounted from that
price.) Acura bills it as a sports sedan, but
it's really just a very pleasant car stuffed
with features at relatively reasonable prices.
If you
want a true luxury sports sedan, you will do
best selecting something from the BMW 5-Series
lineup, but be prepared to pay quite a bit more
than for the RL. For all-around excellence,
consider paying even more for a Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
For all-around near-excellence at prices not far
above the RLs', look at the Infiniti M.
Also consider cars from the lower entry-lux
class to see if they meet your needs for less.
Acura's own
TL is very similar to
the RL in size and offers sharper handling, but
lacks AWD traction and doesn't have quite the
same interior quality. And the Lexus ES350
offers exceptional comfort, refinement, and
luxury, and is worth a long look if you aren't
interested in sporty handling.
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Audi A6
Available As: Luxury sedan and wagon
Base
Price Range (MSRP): $42,950-$56,300
Pros:
Interior quality, interior comfort, safety
ratings, price.
Cons:
Ride comfort, instrument layout.
Overall: A mostly well-rounded luxury car
that should have a more comfortable ride.
Rating:
7/10
Recommended: YES
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Characteristic: |
Compared to Luxury Cars |
Compared to All Vehicles |
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Seat
Comfort |
8/10 |
8/10 |
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Luxury |
6/10 |
9/10 |
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Practicality |
7/10 |
6/10 |
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Performance |
7/10 |
7/10 |
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Fuel
Economy |
6/10 |
5/10 |
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Safety |
10/10 |
10/10 |
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Price |
8/10 |
3/10 |
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The A6
feels like an excellent luxury car in most
circumstances. It has a splendidly detailed
interior with very comfortable seats, powerful
and quiet engines, a steady ride, and reasonably
agile handling. But the A6 doesn't handle bumps
as well as it should, particularly with the
available sport suspension; it recovers quickly
after passing over them, but the initial impact
is not isolated from the occupants as well as
most other luxury cars. But if you can handle a
few jolts, and if you are willing to learn
Audi's complicated Multi-Media Interface for
working the controls, the A6 is an excellent
luxury car at a reasonable price.
If you
want a sportier luxury car, consider something
from the BMW 5-Series
lineup, but be prepared to pay quite a bit more
than for the A6. For all-around excellence,
consider paying even more for a Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
For all-around near-excellence at prices similar
to the A6s', look at the Infiniti M.
Note that the A6 has the nicest interior of the
four, however, and has a more comfortable rear
seat than the BMW. And if sporty handling does
not matter at all to you, look at the Lexus ES350 for
exceptional comfort, refinement, and luxury, at
a relatively low price, though the A6 has a much
roomier rear seat.
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Infiniti M
Available As: Luxury sedan
Base
Price Range (MSRP): $41,450-$49,100
Pros:
Interior space, ride, handling,
acceleration, interior quality, price.
Cons:
Fuel economy.
Overall: It meets every type of high
standard set in its class, while costing less
than most competitors.
Rating:
9/10
Recommended: YES (IFCAR Top Pick)
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Characteristic: |
Compared to Luxury Sedans |
Compared to All Vehicles |
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Seat
Comfort |
8/10 |
9/10 |
|
Luxury |
6/10 |
9/10 |
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Practicality |
7/10 |
6/10 |
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Performance |
8/10 |
8/10 |
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Fuel
Economy |
3/10 |
4/10 |
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Safety |
8/10 |
7/10 |
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Price |
8/10 |
3/10 |
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The M does not
come immediately to mind for any one superlative
in its class. It doesn't have the BMW 5-Series's
handling, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class's interior
quality or refinement, or the Cadillac DTS's
interior space. But it blends all the positive
qualities in its class into a very competitively
priced package to meet the high standards set in
the luxury sedan class for interior comfort and
quality, ride and handling, and acceleration.
Avoid the Sport package, which adds little to
the car's handling while making the ride much
stiffer, and you'll have an excellent all-around
luxury sedan.
Another good
all-around well-priced luxury sedan is the
Audi
A6, though it isn't as smooth-riding or as
powerful as the M. It has an especially nice
interior, however. The V6-only
Acura RL is
another decent choice, though the M is roomier
and more powerful. The BMW 5-Series is the
driver's car to beat in this class, and the
Mercedes-Benz E-Class offers the most luxury,
but neither are as roomy as the M and both are
much more expensive.
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Last Update: 1/13/08 |
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